Old Man at the Bridge

“The Old Man at the Bridge” is unusual in that it is a war story that doesn’t show the war. Pick a story, film, or other source you are familiar with that depicts battles scenes and the violence in war. Compare and contrast the representation of war in your chosen piece and “The Old Man at the Bridge.”

Identify the three observations the narrator makes that reveal the most about his character. Explain your answers.

At the end of the story, the narrator says of the old man, “There is nothing to be done about him” (58). Is this true? Discuss the morality of his response to the old man.